The newsletter of the
Minnesota Herpetological Society
June Meeting Notice General Meeting June 3rd June Speaker David Steen: Bringing North America’s Largest Snake Back to Alabama. Letter from the President page 5 Field Survey Information page 6 Kid’s Korner pp 13-14
June 2016
Volume 36
Number 6
BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Misi Stine 952.217.1267 President@mnherpsoc.org Vice President Jim Soos 612.382.1920 VicePresident@MnHerpSoc.org
C/O Bell Museum of Natural History 10 Church Street Southeast Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455-0104
Recording Secretary Nancy Haig 763.434.8684 RecSecretary@MnHerpSoc.org
Or you can still leave us a Voice Mail: 612.326.6516
Membership Secretary Lavania Beguhl 651.274.8511 MemSecretary@MnHerpSoc.org Treasurer Rae Jacobs Ruber 612.366.9337 Treasurer@MnHerpSoc.org Newsletter Editor Ellen Heck 612.750.1649 NewsletterEditor@MnHerpSoc.org Lois Hall 612.824.1447 MemberAtLarge4@MnHerpSoc.org Rebecca Markowitz 409.740.0235 MemberAtLarge1@MnHerpSoc.org Members at Large Casey Sievert 651.338.3244 MemberAtLarge3@MnHerpSoc.org
Stay informed! Join us on our forums!
The purpose of the Minnesota Herpetological Society is to: • Further the education of the membership and the general public in care and captive propagation of reptiles and amphibians; • Educate the members and the general public in the ecological role of reptiles and amphibians; • Promote the study and conservation of reptiles and amphibians. The Minnesota Herpetological Society is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization. Membership is open to all individuals with an interest in amphibians and reptiles. The Minnesota Herpetological Society Newsletter is published monthly to provide its members with information concerning the society’s activities and a media for exchanging information, opinions and resources. General Meetings are held at Borlaug Hall, Room 335 on the St. Paul Campus of the University of Minnesota, on the first Friday of each month (unless there is a holiday conflict). The meeting starts at 7:00pm and lasts about three hours. Please check the MHS Voice mail for changes in schedules or cancellations. Submissions to the Newsletter
Chris Smith 612.275.9737 MemberAtLarge2@MnHerpSoc.org
Ads or Notices must be submitted no later than the night of the General Meeting to be included in the next issue. Longer articles will be printed as time and space allows and should be in electronic file format if possible.
COMMITTEES
See inside back cover for ad rates. Submissions may be sent to:
Adoption Beth Girard 612.326.6516 Adoptions@MnHerpSoc.org Education Jan Larson 507.263.4391 Jan.SkunkHollow@Juno.com Fostering Rebecca Markwitz 612.326.6516 Fosters@MnHerpSoc.org WebMaster WebMaster@MnHerpSoc.org Cover by Tom Junek; all rights reserved Cartoons by Fran Frisch
The Minnesota Herpetological Society Attn: Newsletter Editor C/O Bell Museum of Natural History 10 Church St SE Minneapolis, MN 55455-0104 NewsletterEditor@MnHerpSoc.org
SNAKE BITE EMERGENCY HENNEPIN REGIONAL POISON CENTER 800-222-1222
© Copyright 2015, Minnesota Herpetological Society. Except where noted, contents may be reproduced for non-profit, non-commercial use only. All material must be reproduced without change. Proper credit will be given including the author/photographer and the Minnesota Herpetological Society Newsletter citing: volume, number and date.
General Meeting — David Steen—Bringing North America’s Largest Snake Back to Alabama May 6th, 7:00pm; 6:30pm Social Hour Social hour begins at 6:30pm. This is a time for people to catch up before the meeting starts. David says: I am an Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Auburn University. I work closely with the Alabama Natural Heritage Program and the Auburn University Museum of Natural History to study wildlife ecology in the southeastern United States and beyond. I received my Ph.D. from Auburn University (2011), my M.S. from the State University of New York-College of Environmental Science and Forestry (2003) and my B.S. from the University of New Hampshire (2001). I also recently completed a postdoctoral appointment at Virginia Tech (2012-2013). More information is on my website: http://davidasteen.com and you can find me on Twitter: @AlongsideWild.
John Moriarty –Reptiles and Amphibians of the Twin Cities Submitted by Nancy Haig
John Moriarty is a long time member of the MHS, author of several books including co-authoring both the first and second versions of “Amphibians & Reptiles Native to Minnesota”. He has worked in many of the regional park districts with habitat management and restorations. His talk started with a historic view of what the vegetation coverage of Minnesota looked like during the 18401900’s. The area of the Twin Cities was mainly a mixture of mixed forest and oak savannahs with some prairie while the rest of Minnesota was either prairies or deciduous and coniferous forests. The state had tons of good habitats. A closer view of the Twin Cites revealed there were once prairies where the Mall of America now stands. Midway in St Paul, Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Center all had nice prairies as well. The map revealed large areas of rich green (mixed basswood forests) and yellow (prairie), the next map was practically all white, it showed current day natural habitats. Now only a few areas remain as special parks and reserves. The final map was a large mass of purple which showed the roadways in the Twin Cities. Since reptiles and amphibians can’t fly and most don’t run very fast, fragmentation of habitat by roads is the biggest problem in the Twin Cities. That we still have some herps in the Twin Cities is pretty good. John spoke about three distinct areas: the urban; suburban and the edge. The urban area is Minneapolis, St. Paul and the first ring suburbs. Suburban covers the outer suburbs where there is more open space and less developed land and the edge is the more rural areas. Urban Species-what can you really find in town? If you were in Como Park (not the zoo!) what would you see? The American Toad Anaxyrus americanus; Boreal Chorus Frog Pseudacris macculata; Cope’s Gray Treefrogs Hyla Chrysoscelis; and Gray Treefrogs Hyla versicolor are all found around homes in the cities. All of these do not need large bodies of water and spend most of their time on land. Prairie Skinks Plestiodon setentrionalis can be found around railroad tracks and oakwood areas in the parks. They don’t travel very far and can spend their whole life in an acre of land or less.
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Around the edges of the inner suburbs you may find a few Common Gartersnakes Thamnophis sirtalis but they become more numerous near Shoreview and in the river valley near Fort Snelling. Plains Gatersnakes Thamnophis radix are also found. The Snapping Turtle Chelydra serpentine and the Painted Turtle Chrysemys picta are still found in most of the ponds. Suburban Species-the open lots, bigger spaces and parkways are more attractive to species not found in town like the Spring Peeper Pseudacris crucifer. Green Frog Lithobates clamitans and the Northern Leopard Frog Lithobates pipiens overwinter in the deeper bigger lakes with some natural shoreline. Leopard Frogs travel to the uplands in the summer and will cross roads to get there. The Blanchard’s Cricket Frog Acris blanchardi is found along the Minnesota river in isolated spots. Wood Frogs Lithobates sylvatica prefer small ponds attached to woodlands. The Eastern Tiger Salamander Ambystoma tigrinum used to be common in the Cities and while fragmentation and loss of habitat has decreased their numbers, they are still found in the bigger spaces. There are more snakes in the suburbs including the Red-bellied Snake Storeria occipitomaculata, and Dekay’s Brownsnake Storeia dekayi, which are usually seen basking on bike trails. The Spiney Softshell Turtle Apalone spinifera is found in the major rivers and lakes. The Blanding Turtle Emyydoidea blandingii is also seen but they are usually adults and the possibility of viable breeding populations is slim. River Species –are found through all three areas but they are only found along the Mississippi, Minnesota and St Croix Rivers. These include the Mudpuppy Necturus maculosus, Common Watersnake Nerodia sipedon, False Map Turtle Graptemys pseudographica, Northern Map Turtle Graptemys geographica, Southern Map Turtle Graptemys ouachitensis. You can tell the different Map Turtles apart by the placement of their yellow eyebrow and chin spots. The Smooth Softshell Turtle Apalone mutica is also found along the Minnesota River. Edge Species are n the natural habitats and bigger spaces forming the edges of the seven county metro area. Some of these animals found here are more northern species and the Cities are the extreme southern edge of their range. The Mink Frog Lithobates septentrionalis is one frog that may lose its’ foothold in the USA because of climate change. The Blue-spotted Salamander Ambystoma laterale can be found through-out the northern edges and on Big Island in Minnetonka lake which is also home to the Eastern Newt Notophthalmus viridescens . For other species like the Six-lined Racerunner Aspidoscelis sexlineata and the North American Racer Coluber constrictor the Cities are their northern most border. Other large snakes like the Gopher Snake (Bullsnake) Pituophis catenifer, Plains Hognose snake Heterodon nasicus, Eastern Hognose snake Heterodon platirhinos, Milksnake Lampropeltis Triangulum, Smooth Greensnake Opheodrys vernalis, and the Western Foxsnake Pantherophis vulpinus can also be found on the edges. Introduced species- Invasives- Originally native only near the city of Winona and south along the Mississippi Rver the American Bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus has now expanded its territory to Washington county and along the St. Croix River. Its spread is primarily due to animals being released by government programs and private individuals. Not native to Minnesota the Pond Slider (Red-Eared Slider) Trachemys scripta has also been released into city ponds. Due to climate changes the Pond Turtle can now survive our winters but it is not yet able to breed successfully in Minnesota. All in all, there are quite a few reptiles and amphibians that can still call the Twin Cities home, if you know where to look. Thanks in part to the efforts of people like John Moriarty and the parks and natural habitat management systems we can still enjoy herping in the Cities.
June 2016
Volume 36 Number 6
Letter from the President June 2016 As members of MHS we have a lot invested in the animals that we love, whether we keep captive animals, participate in education and/or conservation efforts. There is a constant effort to make change, and move society in one direction or another. Depending your worldview and life experience that need to move and change things may or may not benefit the hobby or wild populations of reptiles and amphibians. That is where the voice of MHS and its individual members is so important and believe it or not elected officials want to hear from and will respond to the needs of their constituents. All you have to do is reach out connect with them. I think for some it can feel overwhelming on how to find who their government representatives are, and what they should say, but remember your elected officials work for you, and there are great tools to help you locate who you need to talk to. Here is a link to USA.gov, it can help you locate elected officials at all levels of government: https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials When you contact your elected official, the most effective is a phone call, but a letter or email are acceptable means of communication as well. When you contact your representative please remember the following: What to say on the Telephone Tell them you are a constituent, and ask to speak with the member of the staff responsible for researching and tracking the senator/representative’s position on the issue you are calling about. Remember or write down the staffer’s name in case you need to call back or follow up. Assume that you will speak with a staffer, not the senator/representative personally. Due to the demands members of Congress face, the staffer will likely know more about the issue anyway. Always remain polite in your communication with congressional staff. Insults, bullying, yelling, or profanity will hurt, not help your case. At the end of the call, be gracious and thank the staffer for their time. If you decide to write a letter or send an email Identify yourself as a constituent, make your points clearly and concisely, and the length of your communication should be kept to one page. You can include attachments (i.e articles supporting your communication), but do not over due. If you do not know the senator/representative’s position, ask them to share their view with you and offer factual evidence as to why she or he should support your view. Avoid profanity or insults. It is okay disagree or feel upset with your representative’s position, but share your objections clearly but politely, and provide facts to explain why you believe she or he should support your view. You want to be taken seriously and being professional will ensure your message is heard. If there is particular bill under consideration in the Senate or Congress, be sure to reference that bill in your letter, to ensure they know that your issue is timely. Send in a typed or neatly handwritten letter on clean white paper or stationery. Provide contact information, including home address and phone, especially if you want someone to contact you. (source: http://www.nss.org/legislative/congress.htm) Thank you for your commitment and passion for MHS and herps--today and as we move towards the future! Misi Stine President June 2016
Volume 36 Number 6
June 2016
Volume 36 Number 6
Want more Field Herping? The US Fish & Wildlife Bio-Blitz will be held Saturday, June 25th at the Louisville Swamp. This year they want to emphasize herping. Watch the Fish & Wildlife for more information. http://www.fws.gov/refuge/minnesota_valley/events.html June 2016
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Looking for Herp Assistance Volunteers! Are you an experienced keeper of a particular type of herp? Are you willing and able to provide answers to others? We are looking to re-introduce the herp assistance program and need people willing to offer advice for all types of reptiles and amphibians. We are also looking for people who specialize in breeding (herps, that is) cage building, etc. Volunteers will be listed in the newsletter and on the website with a phone number and/or email address that people seeking advice can call you on. Please contact Ellen NewsletterEditor@mnherpsoc.org if you are interested in helping.
Snake Sheds Wanted Eden Bio-Creations (https://edenbiocreations.com/ ) has asked if MHS members would be willing to give snake sheds of all sizes, and species to them to produce their shed textile products, like cell phone covers. In return MHS would receive a donation for each product sold using our members snake sheds. Here is a video on the program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J59mMc92xZU#t=119 For those of you willing to share your sheds with MHS for this program a box will be made available at the monthly meetings, starting in January, to collect them for this group. Here is what we need when you bring in your sheds: 1. 2. 3. 4.
each shed is placed in it's own Ziploc baggie, and labeled with the species be sure that the shed is does not have any large chunks of feces on it All sizes of sheds are accepted Please feel free to submit even if torn (include all the pieces), as they can be put back together.
If you have any questions about this please direct them to Lois Hall at MemberAtLarge4@MnHerpSoc.org
MHS Intake Change of Venue For the past 18 years, the Minnesota Herpetological Society has held its Intake Day at the home of Sarah Richard. She has graciously opened up her house and allowed members of the general public to drop animals off all day. She has then hosted the Intake Vet Checks that evening. Over the years, she has also incorporated inviting veterinary and veterinary technician students to attend and learn how to care for the amazing animals we all love so much!!! In an effort to continue this tradition of teaching, the Board has decided to move Intake to a public institution. Argosy University has agreed to allow us to host intake on their campus once a month. Although the hours will be reduced, the animals will be seen by AU veterinarians and other staff members and be utilized as a teaching tool for their veterinary technician students. All animals surrendered at Intake MUST be pre-registered, whether they are surrendered by MHS members or by non-members. If you are interested in surrendering an animal, please contact the Adoption Committee at adoptions@mnherpsoc.org or by calling 612/235-6662 (this is a voicemail box only) to pre-register. Returning fosters should also be reported this way so we can make certain we have room for them. Next time you see Sarah, please thank her for all she has done for the thousands of animals that have moved through MHS Intake and her home over the past two decades! Beth Girard MHS Adoption Chair Email: adoptions@mnherpsoc.org June 2016
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Beth Girard win Presidential Volunteer Service Award The President’s Volunteer Service Award recognizes United States citizens and lawfully admitted, permanent residents of the United States who have achieved the required number of hours of service over a 12-month time period or cumulative hours over the course of a lifetime. Criteria Individuals, families and groups that meet the criteria are eligible for the PVSA. Recipient(s) must be a United States citizen or a lawfully admitted permanent resident of the United States. Awards are issued for service hours served within a 12-month time period or over the course of a lifetime. Awards are issued for volunteer service only; additional levels of participation with the organization (i.e., charitable support) are not a factor considered for the award. Court-ordered community service does not qualify for the award. Awards are issued by approved Certifying Organizations. Service must be with an approved Certifying Organization that is legally established in the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or one of the U.S. territories.
Eligibility Hours are measured over a 12-month period and awards are designated based on cumulative hours. The awards are offered in multiple levels and are designed to recognize each milestone of your service achievement. Levels include bronze, silver, gold and the highest honor, the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for those who contribute more than 4,000 hours of service in their lifetime. https://www.presidentialserviceawards.gov/the-award June 2016
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Upcoming Hands-on Event Schedule Waterfest—Saturday June 4th 11am-4pm. Lake Phalen Park, St Paul, MN Chuck & Don’s—Mahtomedi, MN Saturday June 4th 12noon-2pm Minnetonka Native Plant Sale—Wednesday June 8th 3-7pm Minnetonka City Hall parking lot Lark Toys—Kellogg, MN Saturday June 11h 1-3pm Pet-A-Palooza—St. Paul, MN Saturday June 27th 9am-4pm. State Fairgrounds Kidfest Carnival and Environmental Fair—Friday July 29th 6-9pm. Hilde Performance Center, Plymouth, MN Sherburne Nature Center—Saturday August 13th 10am-2pm.
Here’s the deal- Bring your herp(s) to one of the shows listed above, and talk about them. That’s it! You don’t have to be an expert, you’re not giving speeches. Most of the time you will find that people are more than open to hearing about our misrepresented critters.
Contact Jan at Jan.SkunkHollow@Juno.com for details or if interested in signing up. Or sign up on the website.
Hibernaulum Wakes Up Enough Garter snakes to even satisfy a herper. At least for a day. The Narcisse Snake Pits are located in Manitoba, Canada. http://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/smart-living/the-largest-gathering-of-snakes-in-the-world-woke -up-from-a-nap-%E2%80%94-and-the-photos-are-insane/ss-BBsSREm? li=BBnb7Kz&OCID=DELLDHP#image=11
U.S. Announces CITES Protections for Four Freshwater Turtle Species on World Turtle Day May 23, 2016: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) today
celebrates World Turtle Day by announcing a final rule to protect four species of native freshwater turtles under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The four species, to be listed in CITES Appendix III, include the common snapping turtle, the Florida softshell turtle, the smooth softshell turtle and the spiny softshell turtle. By listing these species in CITES, the Service will ensure that international trade occurs at a sustainable level. The listing will become effective after 180 days on November 21, 2016. http://www.fws.gov/news/ShowNews.cfm?ref=u.s.-finalizes-tradeprotections-for-four-freshwater-turtle-species--on-&_ID=35673
Oldest Documented Blanding’s Turtle A female Blanding's turtle believed to be at least 83 years old was captured at a forest reserve this week. Researchers say it is the oldest well-documented Blanding's turtle and one of the oldestknown freshwater turtles. https://www.sciencedaily.com/ releases/2016/05/160525121606.htm June 2016
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MHS Reports and Announcements MHS Adoption Report for April & May 2016
April 2016 Treasurer’s Report
The Adoption Program went on a brief hiatus during the April meeting this year. The decision this year was made so the program did not conflict with the annual White Snake Sale! A decision has not yet been made as to whether or not this will be an annual occurrence.
Submitted by Rae Rueber
Although we did not have animals at the April meeting, animals were surrendered during March. Animals of over-abundant, and therefore hard-toplace species, were sometimes placed prior to the May meeting. This included two boa constrictors, three bearded dragons, two alligators, and two leopard geckos which were outsourced (adopted to those outside of MHS.) Between March 4th and April 6th, animals surrendered to MHS included those listed as outsourced above and six other animals. This brought the total to 15 animals surrendered between the March and April meetings. An additional 26 animals were surrendered between the April and May meetings. Five fostered animals were returned at the meeting. Two aquatic turtles and one common boa were held back, but there were still 34 animals available to MHS members at the May meeting.
Beginning Balance
$26,655.12
Income Raffle Donations-Public Donations To Turtle Cons. Fund White Snake Sale Membership Rodent Sales Interest on Savings Total Income
Expenses
Grants Adoption/Yet Fees Program Filing Fees-Attorney General Rodents Postage Volunteer food for WSS Paypal Fees Website Over the course of the two months, 41 animals Photo contest awards were surrendered to MHS. The new surrenders Total Expense and the 5 foster returns brought the two month total to 46. Of those, 21 found permanent homes, Cash Increase/Decrease Ending Balance 7 were placed in foster care, and 18 were outsourced. The outsourced animals included 8 aquatic turtles, 2 common boas, 4 bearded dragons, 2 leopard geckos, and 2 alligators. Thank you for continuing to support the MHS Adoption Program by fostering and adopting animals!
$0.00 $132.80 $161.67 $1,938.00 $500.00 $426.00 $0.14 $3,158.61
$2,500.00 $120.00 $12.00 $25.00 $1,121.25 $9.40 $15.45 $4.40 $14.95 $40.99 $3,863.44 -$704.83 $25,950.29
Placement of Cash Holdings Checking Savings Paypal Cash on Hand Total
$6,794.55 $17,488.23 $1,477.51 $190.00 $25,950.29
Board Meeting The board meeting will be held 6pm June 4th at the St Louis Park Byerly’s Community Room. Everyone is welcome to attend the board meeting. We encourage you to come check it out. June 2016
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MHS Reports and Announcements MHS State Fair Coordinator Needed The 2016 Minnesota State Fair opens on Thursday, August 25th and runs through Monday, September 5th. The Minnesota Herpetological Society has run the Reptiles of Minnesota exhibit in the DNR Building since 1983. Last year we provided eight species of native snakes and 5 species of native turtles for the twelve days of the fair. These animals were viewed by thousands of people that visited the building each day. I have had the privilege of coordinating the event for the past eight years, but it is time for someone else to take over the position. The job includes … Recruiting a volunteer to serve as a Daily Investigator each of the twelve days. Daily Investigators are responsible for being at the DNR building at 9pm on their assigned day to check on the animals, to clean the enclosures as necessary, to provide each with clean water, and to report any concerns to the Coordinator. Each of the Dis receives two tickets for their participation. Submitting articles to the Newsletter Editor, as needed, for recruitment of volunteers and to submit a final report after the fair. Finding MHS members willing to loan MHS their animals for fourteen days (8/24-9/6) for use in the exhibit. There are nine snake enclosures and room for several small to medium turtles in one of the DNR aquariums. (The timber rattlesnake has already been lined up. Only Jim Gerholdt will be allowed to clean/water the rattlesnake.) Creating signage as needed for the displays. Being at the fairgrounds the two days before the fair to clean out the exhibit (which has gathered dust for 350 days!), to install the animals, and to set up the exhibit for the 2016 Fair. I am willing to be there as well to help with the transition. Being at the fairgrounds the day after the fair closes (September 6th) to return animals to their owners, to clean out the exhibit space, and to pack up the MHS items. Being available to visit, or to arrange for someone else to visit, the fairgrounds if the temperatures are above 85. The enclosures are acrylic and can heat up too much for the snakes. Writing an annual report to submit to the MHS Board of Directors in October. The report should include an inventory of all supplies and the total hours worked by each MHS state fair volunteer. I will be at the June general meeting to answer questions if you are interested, or you can call me at 612/616-8431. If you would like to talk at the meeting you will find me in the back of the room in the Adoption area. If you are interested and you do not have further questions, please contact the MHS President, Misi Stine. Coordinators require Board approval. Thank you for considering this fun volunteer opportunity! Beth Girard Email: beth_girard@msn.com
For Sale Chest Freezer- 48” x 22” x 14”, year 2002, electrical usage not known, Used to store MHS rodents prior to meetings. For pick up only, location 30 minutes north of 694 and central Ave. (HWY 65). Available until June 1,2016. Payment due at time of pick-up; all proceeds go to MHS. Starting price $50.00 contact Nancy Haig recsecretary@mnherpsoc.org June 2016
Volume 36 Number 6
Kid’s Korner
June 2016
Volume 36 Number 6
Kid’s Korner
June 2016
Volume 36 Number 6
QUARANTINE PROCEDURES One of the snakes from this month’s adoption was found to have mites. Although we do keep contact to a minimum between animals and enclosures, we want to remind everyone to follow proper quarantine procedures!!! DO NOT put new animals in the same space, or share enclosures or cage furnishings, with your collection! MHS has included a page of Quarantine Suggestions for several months now. Unfortunately it was written 20 years ago for zoos and other groups with large collections and the equipment and knowledge necessary for evaluating fecal exams. The one I like can be found at http://www.herpcenter.com/reptilearticles/quarantining-reptiles/ QUARANTINING REPTILES Quarantining your new acquisitions is done so that you can monitor the animals behavior, appetite, stool, and activity. It is also done to protect the animals you currently own. This is a step that can actually save your entire colony of animals, save you money, and save you time. Quarantining new animals should become an instinctive behavior by both new and experienced enthusiasts, though it is often overlooked at one time or another by all. It is a crucial step in the prevention of colony infection. Diseases like Cryptosporidium can destroy an entire collection if introduced to your reptiles. WHAT IS QUARANTINING Quarantining is the process in which you isolate the reptile you are bringing home. This is the time period in which you monitor the animal and note or treat the animal for any illness or injury that it has. Quarantining ensures that you will not spread any contagious illness or parasites to your current collection. REPTILE QUARANTINE BASICS Keep the set-up simple Keep the set-up clean Keep the setup isolated Monitor the reptile Save it for last TIME FRAME Your new reptile should be quarantined for a minimum of 30 days. Ideally, 60-90 days would be better. Once a reptile has finished the quarantine period and is deemed fit, they can be introduced into their permanent enclosure in the proximity of other reptiles. QUARANTINE SET-UP A setup designed as a quarantine tank should be very simple in design and extremely easy to clean. The goal is to use the quarantine tank as an observational area. For reptiles, the quarantine tank should consist of the bare essentials. The enclosure itself should be made of solid plastic or glass. Old fish tanks are great quarantine tanks. Avoid wooden enclosures as quarantine tanks as they are difficult to clean. QUARANTINE TANK The best substrate to use for a quarantine tank is either no substrate, or paper towel. This makes cleaning a breeze, allows complete visibility to monitor the reptiles feces, and is a complete risk free substrate from impaction. The rest of the enclosure should be limited to a hide, a water bowl, and feeder dish (If required.) A calcium dish should be part of a leopard geckos quarantine tank. Climbing branches and other decor should not be in the quarantine tank. Continued next page June 2016
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The tank above is an example quarantine setup for a leopard gecko. The tank is a 32 quart Sterilite tub heated with a human heat pad. It contains a hide directly over the heat source, a moist hide/cool hide, a calcium dish, a mealworm dish, a disposable water dish, and paper towel as a substrate. The example shows how simple the enclosure can be for the quarantine period. This setup is easy to clean and maintain. Holes have been drilled into the sides of the Sterilite for air circulation, and the cover also has holes drilled into it. CLEANLINESS Your quarantine tank should be cleaned daily. Remove any feces (after looking it over) from the enclosure, change the water, remove any dead insects, and make sure the tank itself is clean. You want to be able to monitor the animal as closely as possible. The cleaner the tank is, the easier it will be to monitor the reptile. ISOLATION It is best to isolate the reptile from the rest of your collection. This is best done by placing the quarantine tank in a separate room from where you house your other reptiles. It doesn't stop there however. You should also be isolating what items come into contact with the quarantine tank. You should never use the same cleaning materials between a quarantine tank and those that house the rest of your collection. The same is true for water and feeding dishes. This could result in indirect contact with a parasite or illness. MONITORING Make sure you spend some time watching the reptile in quarantine. Watch how he hunts/eats, make sure he isn't lethargic, and ensure that he is alert when you disturb him. Reptiles in general are experts at hiding illness. This is how they survive in the wild. Make it a point to ensure that the animal is behaving normally and that its stool appears "normal". THE LAST STOP When cleaning your enclosures, save the quarantine tank for last. This will help reduce the chance of indirect contact. Also save the quarantined animal for last when you are working with your collection. You want to limit any possible exposure between the new reptile and your current collection. By making the quarantined reptile the last stop, you are placing distance between any accidental exposure. PERSONAL HYGIENE It is always a good practice to use an antibacterial soap to wash your hands after every handling session you have with a reptile or its enclosure. It is especially important to maintain proper hygiene protocol when dealing with an animal in quarantine. The accidental spreading of a disease or parasite could come from direct or indirect contact with another animal, or its supplies in your collection. Avoid this by washing your hands every time you leave the quarantine area. It is crucial that you maintain strict protocol when quarantining. A single parasite that has been introduce to your collection could cost you extreme amounts of money in vet bills, delayed breeding programs, and could even result in the death of one or more animals in your collection. Quarantining is very simple to do and can save you a great deal of headaches. Be vigilant and quarantine all new reptiles!
If you do find mites, take the proper steps to avoid having it move to other animals. Many of us use Provent-a-mite if we believe an animal may be infested. It can be purchased many places, such as at LLL Reptiles on-line. They have a video which describes the process at http:// www.lllreptile.com/products/391-provent-a-mite Proper quarantine procedures should ALWAYS be used when introducing a new animal into your collection! This includes enclosures, furnishings, substrate, cleaning materials, feeding tools, and YOU!
June 2016
Volume 36 Number 6
Quarantine Suggestions (Editor’s Note—this was run last month as well, but we consider this to be such an important topic we are running it again) Miller, R.E. 1996. Quarantine protocols and preventive medicine procedures for reptiles, birds and mammals in zoos. Rev. Sci. Tech 15(1): 183-189 QUARANTINE PERSONNEL Ideally, a keeper should be designated to care only for quarantined animals; otherwise, a keeper should attend quarantined animals only after fulfilling responsibilities for resident species. Equipment used to feed and clean animals in quarantine should be used only with these animals. If this is not possible, then equipment must be cleaned with an appropriate disinfectant (as designated by the veterinarian supervising quarantine) before use with post-quarantine animals. Institutions must take precautions to minimize the risk of exposure of animal handling personnel to zoonotic diseases which may be present in newly-acquired animals. These precautions should include the use of disinfectant footbaths, the wearing of appropriate protective clothing and masks (in some cases), and minimizing physical exposure in some species (e.g. with primates, by the use of chemical rather than physical restraint). A programme of tuberculin testing and surveillance must be established for zoo/aquarium employees, to ensure the health of both the employees and the animal collection. QUARANTINE PROTOCOL During the quarantine period, certain prophylactic measures should be instituted. Individual faecal samples, or representative samples from large numbers of individuals housed in a limited area (e.g. birds of the same species in an aviary or frogs in a terrarium), should be collected, on at least two occasions, and examined for gastrointestinal parasites. Treatment should be prescribed by the attending veterinarian. Ideally, release from quarantine should be dependent on obtaining two negative faecal results at a minimum interval of two weeks, either initially or after parasiticide treatment. In addition, all animals should be evaluated for ectoparasites and should receive appropriate treatment, if necessary. Vaccinations should be updated as appropriate for each species (1). If the animal arrives without a vaccination history, it should be treated as being immunologically naive and should be given an appropriate series of vaccinations. Whenever possible, blood should be collected and sera stored in a freezer (not frost-free) at either - 70ÅãC or - 20ÅãC. Such sera could provide an important resource for retrospective disease evaluation. The quarantine period also presents an opportunity to identify permanently all unmarked animals, when anaesthetized or restrained (e.g. tattoo, ear notch, ear tag). Also, whenever animals are restrained or immobilized, a complete physical examination, including dental examination, should be performed. Complete medical records of all animals should be kept, and should be available for consultation during the quarantine period. Necropsy should be performed, under the supervision of a veterinarian, on all animals which die during quarantine; representative tissues should be submitted for histopathological examination. QUARANTINE PROCEDURES Evaluation of faecal samples for parasites is required for each species. Ideally, at least two negative results should be obtained from samples taken with a minimum 14-day interval, although other protocols are necessary for some parasite infestations. As noted above, all appropriate vaccinations should be performed. Recommendations and suggestions for appropriate quarantine procedures for several animal groups are presented below. This is extremely important. ALWAYS work with newly acquired animals last. Rubber gloves are cheap! Discard between use (don’t try to re-use them).
June 2016
Volume 36 Number 6
Online Classifieds In addition to ads in the newsletter, MHS provides online classifieds via the forums. A valid login (provided to current members) is required to both post and read ads. http://www.mnherpsoc.org/forums/members/classifieds June 2016
Volume 36 Number 6
Minnesota Herpetological Society Membership Application New
Name
Renewal
Address
Membership #
City, State, Zip
Type
Phone
List in MHS Directory? Yes No Contact information only? Yes No
Check # Herp related interests
Active Memberships: Sustaining ($60/year)
Contributing ($40/year) Basic ($20/year)
Corresponding Memberships: Commercial ($25/year, 2 business card ads/year) Required check info. Drivers Lic #
State
DOB
Please enclose the proper payment with your application. Make checks payable to MINNESOTA HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY. Membership is for 12 months from the date of approval. A receipt will be sent only upon request. Mail To: Minnesota Herpetological Society, C/O BELL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, 10 Church St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455 Please allow 6-8 weeks for processing.
Rodents! Order your MHS Rodents today! Ordering by phone? See the new phone number below. Mice Pinkies Fuzzies Hoppers Adult
Weight 2-3 grams 5-7 grams 8-11 grams 25-30 grams
Price $7/dz $7/dz $8/dz $10/dz
Rats Small Adult Med. Adults Large Adult Jumbo
Weight 50-60 grams 125-150 grams 200-240 grams 250-350 grams
Price $18/dz $22/ 10 rats $17/ 6 rats $16/ 5 rats
For pickup at monthly meetings only. Orders may be placed via: 1. At the meeting for the following month 2. Online at www.MnHerpSoc.org
Orders MUST be placed 10 days in advance of the meeting to guarantee availability. We no longer keep an inventory of rodents on hand, so if you attempt to place an order after the deadline, there is no way to fill it.
Advertising Policies MHS Ad Policy: The MHS assumes NO RESPONSIBILITY regarding the health or legality of any animal, or the quality or legality of any product or service advertised in the MHS Newsletter. Any ad may be rejected at the discretion of the Newsletter Editor. Due to space limitations, unpaid and complimentary advertisements are subject to occasional omission. Classified Ads: All active members are allowed a classified ad, run free of charge as space permits. Ads may be run three (3) consecutive months, after which time they may be resubmitted. Submissions: All advertisements should be submitted to the MHS Membership Secretary at the general meeting or mailed to: Minnesota Herpetological Society, C/O Bell Museum of Natural History. 10 Church St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455. Deadline is the night of the General Meeting for inclusion in the next newsletter. Make checks payable to: Minnesota Herpetological Society. Advertising Costs Size Cost Business Card Sized $5/month or $55/year* 1/4 Page $10/month or $110/year* 1/2 Page $20/month or $220/year* Full Page $40/month or $440/year*
MINNESOTA HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY C/O BELL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 10 CHURCH STREET SE MINNNEAPOLIS, MN 55455-0104
Next Meeting:
Save the dates!
Friday June 3rd - 7:00 pm Room 335 Borlaug Hall U of M St. Paul Campus
Friday June 3rd—General Meeting June 10-12—Annual Field Survey Friday July 8th—General Meeting
MHS Voice Mail:
MHS Web Page:
612.326.6516
www.MnHerpSoc.org
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